Select 1.5 Walkabout and Elite 1.44 Points Address Problems

[LMSFan72]

Hi

 

Well, some of you will have seen a previous post from me regarding an issue on points with select 1.2. Happily, my select is now upgraded, but, I still cannot get points to operate.

 

I am using DCC Concepts ADS-2FX/SX and ADS-8FX points decoders. I am using addresses from 61 and upwards. If I program them from the Select Walkabout then they work ONLY with the Walkabout and not at all on the Elite. If I program with the Elite then they work on the Elite and at an address 2 higher on the Walkabout when the Elite is in Standard mode. If I program with the Elite then they wil operate on the same address only when the Elite is in Classic mode - which doesn't help when I am running Railmaster too.

 

I know there was an issue at Select less than V1.1 but I heard that had been fixed. Does anyone have any experience in getting the Select in Walkaboout mode and the Elite in Standard mode to operate the point address correctly!!

 

Many Thanks, Andy

[96RAF]

Andy

 

A long and tedious answer unfortunately...

 

According to Hornby the Select Walkabout was never designed to work in conjunction with the Elite as an extra RM controller and indeed the Elite was not envisaged as a manual controller either when used with RM, merely a passer of information from screen to track just like the eLink.

 

RM was meant to transfer control  away from the controller knobs to the screen, despite the fact you can actually use manual over-ride, so the advice is to use RM screen as your points controller not the Select, noting that in any case the points range to be able to use the Select in manual mode would still have to be 61>>.

 

My points work fine from the eLink as Controller B in RM on addresses 1>>. For testing I swapped my eLink for the Elite & Select WA combo to see how the points would work outwith RM.

 

Whilst they work fine manually from the Elite on my lower assigned addresses they obviously show no response when selected from the Select which sees these low addresses as locos. If I ask Select for addresses 61>> then the Select screen correctly shows Pn, Pnn, etc but operating the arrows buttons obviously has no effect on my actual points as the acc-decoders do not 'hear' the higher address commands..

 

I am not prepared to mess with the track wiring at this stage to be able to readdress an acc-decoder to test the higher range addresses vs +/-3 offset so testing is as it is for now.

 

From my notes the Select -3 addressing was handled thus:

 

Elite v_any will send any points address value 1>> as programmed. Acc-decoders will carry these exact address values.

 

Select WA v1.0 will send any point address 60>> as programmed but acc decoder sets itself by groups to -3 i.e. address 57-60 and Xpressnet then recalculates to get to these decoder addresses right.

 

When this version Select is connected to Elite as a WA then via Xpressnet Elite will +3 to correct these addresses as any version Elite sends the address exactly as programmed. So if a user previously programmed points at v1.0 then from the Elite their points will always seem to be 3 behind the selection.

 

This is essentially what Standard mode does and the reason Classic mode was introduced was to -3 the points address value at the Elite to get Select and Elite addresses to the same value.

 

Select v1.1>> will send any point address 61>> as programmed, meaning if the Elite is in Standard mode the seen points address will now be +3, hence Classic mode must be used again to -3 the points address value to correct the incorrection.

 

As RM will nor work in Standard mode then it must be accepted that using a Select WA for RM points operation is not viable.

 

Select V1.0+ sends the correct address value as inputted but the Elite controls the address translation as seen over the Xpressnet (i.e. WA connection).

 

In Standard mode it assumes a Select v1.0 is attached and adds 3 to the address. In Classic mode it does not do this. When we get into RM, Elite Classic mode was affecting interpretation of commands in general so Standard mode correction was written into the code to correct the issues.

 

From this it would appear that RM was fudged to correct the +/-3 Classic/Standard points address issue but the Elite is working the same fudge when an Select WA is connected on the Xpressnet wire, so its all a bit of a mess.

 

The answer is if you can put up with it, is to use RM in Standard mode for points operation and if you have to use the Select as a WA to an Elite for manual points operation then you must be prepared to switch the Elite to Classic mode to get the Select points values corrected. Not the best way to have to do things but a limit of the kit vs the software it seems.

 

Rob

[LMSFan72]

Hi Rob, thank you for taking the time to look up the info and write it all down :-). That does help as I can now properly work my way round the limitations at least knowing they are consistent. I was originally using RailMaster to control everything with elink. I then added an Elite because it was helpful to have a normal controller without firing up the PC for any small thing. I experimented with the handheld app but found it somewhat unreliable and no good for controlling points. My RailMaster is projected onto a wall so I have a nice big screen but I also find the mouse keeps "sticking". As my layout goes around a room it can be difficult/inconvenient to have to keep trying to select things with a temperamental bluetooth mouse whilst stood up with the built in sensitivity. The Select as a walkabout is much more child friendly, as are the Elite knobs, so, I that will stay. As I have points on 3 sides of the room, and the DCC Concepts decoders have push button switch and LED indicator capability built in I think I will build 3 simple push-button mimic panels as that will work flawlessly with both the Elite and Railmaster. Railmaster can then still be used for the programming. I like the convenience of the Walkabout operation, shame about the points, but if I have to I can do the math if I have RM operating and I am not at the mimic panel nor the Elite. I also have the touch screen on a laptop if I need, but, I do find things a bit small for that!! That just leaves the limitation of the 2 digit addressing and overcoming that with an "intuitive" system for remembering the addresses of about 50 locos (although projecting the RM loco list onto the wall may well provide an easy reference guide!). Thanks again, Andy

[96RAF]

I have eLink dedicated as my points controller in RM but also have a manual switch panel built in so that I can operate points either by DCC via RM or by way of buttons and switches at the panel and/or if RM is off.

 

Elite and Select WA are limited to running trains but as you say that in itself means a restricted range of loco addresses whereas I prefer long 'cab number' loco addresses, so my Select WA can only run a handful of 2-digit locos, anything else has to go via the Elite.

 

Rob